Dr. med.univ. Konstantin Krychtiuk, PhD
MedUni Vienna RESEARCHER OF THE MONTH, January 2017
„Mitochondrial DNA and toll-like-receptor-9 are associated with mortality in critically ill patients“ (published by „Critical Care Medicine“)
A range of heterogenous pathologies may lead to critical illness requiring admittance to an intensive care unit (ICU). However, many patients develop a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) often in the absence of microbial pathogens. Mitochondrial DNA resembles bacterial DNA and may be released in critical illness due to tissue damage potentially activating the innate immune system via toll-like-receptor-9 (TLR-9). In a prospective observational study including 233 patients admitted to the ICU of the Department of Internal Medicine II at the Medical University of Vienna within one year, Krychtiuk et al. could demonstrate that circulating mitochondrial DNA at admission is predictive of 30-day mortality. In addition, patients exhibiting both elevated levels of mitochondrial DNA and TLR-9 had the highest risk of 30-day mortality, thereby providing further hints for the interplay between mtDNA release and immune activation in critically ill patients.
Selected literature
1. Krychtiuk KA, Ruhittel S, Hohensinner PJ, Koller L, Kaun C, Lenz M, Bauer B, Wutzlhofer L, Draxler DF, Maurer G et al: Mitochondrial DNA and Toll-Like Receptor-9 Are Associated With Mortality in Critically Ill Patients. Crit Care Med 2015, 43(12):2633-2641.
2. Krychtiuk KA, Kastl SP, Speidl WS, Wojta J: Inflammation and coagulation in atherosclerosis. Hamostaseologie 2013, 33(4):269-282.
3. Krychtiuk KA, Kastl SP, Pfaffenberger S, Pongratz T, Hofbauer SL, Wonnerth A, Katsaros KM, Goliasch G, Gaspar L, Huber K et al: Small high-density lipoprotein is associated with monocyte subsets in stable coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis 2014, 237(2):589-596.
4. Krychtiuk KA, Kastl SP, Pfaffenberger S, Lenz M, Hofbauer SL, Wonnerth A, Koller L, Katsaros KM, Pongratz T, Goliasch G et al: Association of small dense LDL serum levels and circulating monocyte subsets in stable coronary artery disease. PLoS One 2015, 10(4):e0123367.
5. Krychtiuk KA, Kastl SP, Hofbauer SL, Wonnerth A, Goliasch G, Ozsvar-Kozma M, Katsaros KM, Maurer G, Huber K, Dostal E et al: Monocyte subset distribution in patients with stable atherosclerosis and elevated levels of lipoprotein(a). J Clin Lipidol 2015, 9(4):533-541.
6. Krychtiuk KA, Lenz M, Koller L, Honeder MC, Wutzlhofer L, Zhang C, Chi L, Maurer G, Niessner A, Huber K et al: Monocyte subset distribution is associated with mortality in critically ill patients. Thrombosis and haemostasis 2016, 116(5):949-957.
7. Krychtiuk KA, Watzke L, Kaun C, Buchberger E, Hofer-Warbinek R, Demyanets S, Pisoni J, Kastl SP, Rauscher S, Groger M et al: Levosimendan exerts anti-inflammatory effects on cardiac myocytes and endothelial cells in vitro. Thrombosis and haemostasis 2015, 113(2):350-362.